2013-10-17

Some reflections on the flint tool production at Banholt, Limburg / Quelques réflections sur la production d'outils en silex a Banholt, Limbourg

The "Banholtergrubbe"near Banholt ( see also a previous article at this blog, prehistoric activity near Banholt, ) is a well known archaeological monument in Limburg, located west of the village of Banholt. Its geography is special as here we find an exposed, dissolving bedrock at the highest parts of the slopes. This, in combination with a Saalian erosion event, makes the flint was already visible at the surface during prehistoric times.
The oldest artifacts, made in Banholt flint known from the region are of a Palaeolithic date, ca 35.000 BP ( Hutschemakers, Archeologie in Limburg 1977). These artifacts are solitary finds and we do not speak about exploitation.
The use of the flint mines ( by surface dwelling activities) are known from the early Mesolithic, and late Mesolithic period.
The real large scale exploitation by surface mining took place during the early Neolithic ca 5300 BC.

At a field with code Z-2 south of the 'appointed' flint mine tool Neolithic production activity still is visible in the field.( see image and text below).

A: at this location, at an estimated surface of only 10 x 10 m. large chunks of flint where visible, and here the large flint pieces were adapted in rough manageable pieces, for further procession at B.
B is a large surface of ca 60 x 60 m, where the floor has been covered with both debitage waste, flint cores in variable sizes and simple flint tools. Of course we must consider the fact, this area has been surface prospected over many decades by both local and national artifact seekers, so this view is far from complete. The tools found in this area comprise borers, ( heavy duty) scrapers, cutting tools like natural backed knives and partially retouched bladelets, burins and hammerstones.
C is a part of the field, where truncated blades were found, and remains of micro -debitage, such as cores and micro -blades, together with very small tools on flakes and debitage waste ( often < 1,5 cm in length). The flint type in this area is more variable, varying from translucent flint to the red colored Banholt flint.A: à cet endroit, sur une surface estimée de seulement 10 x 10 m. de gros morceaux de silex sont visible, et ici les gros morceaux de silex ont été adaptés en morceaux gérables rugueuses , pour de plus la procession à zone B.B est une grande surface d'environ 60 x 60 m, où on trouve à la fois les déchets de débitage, les noyaux de silex dans des tailles variables et des outils en silex simples. Bien sûr, nous devons tenir compte du fait , cette zone a été prospecté de surface pendant de nombreuses décennies par les chercheurs d' artefacts locaux et nationaux , donc cette vue est loin d'être complète. Les outils trouvés dans ce domaine comprennent les foreurs , des grattoirs, des outils tels que couteaux à dos naturelles et lamelles partiellement retouchées , des burins et des percuteurs.C est une partie du champ , où les lames tronquées ont été trouvés, et des restes de micro- débitage , tels que les noyaux et micro- lames , avec de très petits outils sur éclats et les déchets de débitage (souvent <1,5 cm de longueur ) . Le type de silex dans ce domaine est plus variable , allant de silex translucide en couleur miel jusqu'à le silex de Banholt de couleur rouge.Conclusion/ discussion
The location Z-2 near the Banholt flint mine is reflecting activities at a fourth flint atelier near the official 'appointed 'flint mine; which is where the information panel is located. This given location must have been the centroid of the mining activities, but must also have been one of the surface mines that has been extracted.
At the field it was easy to distinguish the different activity zones, unless the fact erosion took place, so part of the artifacts would definitely have moved downhill.
The evidence for possible pre-Neolithic activities was found at the highest part of the field, where the most decisive reason for prehistoric presence was given by the fact we are at a location east of a former well. The shape of this well and its former bed is still visible at the slope.
The found artifacts at this particular field in zone B differ with respect to the other established ateliers.
The atelier east of the mine provided thin blades, such as are known from the Michelsberg Culture.
The atelier north of the mine was mainly used for the production of small blades, many small blades were found here in the past.
The atelier west of the mine has been used for the production of more large blades and at this location not only many small tools were found, but the number of retouched artifacts makes it believe this was the inhabited zone during the LBK extraction: here so called 'orange slice 'shaped flint and frite- like artifacts were found, indicative for the LBK; the more varied tool spectrum is suggesting tool production in the Late -LBK period, about 5200 BC.
The finds of several tool production activity locations is suggesting the Banholt flint mine area was much bigger and concentrated around the flint mine and in the vicinity of the Bergerweg/ Thelen Haagweg north of Banholt. Several other small production sites were established ( by roughly adapted flint chunks and some debitage waste). A possible Neolithic settlement of the Michelsberg Culture could be located northwest of Banholt, in the vicinity of the Trichterweg, where a number of tools were detected, without any traces of flint tool production.

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Ken Johnston: Portable Rockart

Prehistoric people made art, not only by means of wall paintings in caves, but also creating or collecting small objects like heads, figurines, ducks, mammouths, etc. of wood, bone, antler... and stone.

These ( small) objects fit in a nomadic life- style and were easy to transport.

Many examples and links can be found at the website of Ken Johnston from Ohio (USA) about portable rockart